Diplomacy and Peace-Building

The author discusses six points important in the diplomatic process of peace building. She begins in her first point outlining the development or evolution of peacekeeping in the modern world and details five more points that are important to the peace building process including the fact that peace must be home grown, there are mediators, allied states have a role, the role of diplomacy, and finally the role of institution building

(De)Securitisation Theory and Regional Peace: Some Theoretical Reflections and a Case Study on the Way to Stable Peace

Critically taking on the premises of securitisation theory, this paper seeks to establish a dialogue between the theory of (de)securitisation and the theories of stable peace. In order to do this, I study the connection between the processes of (domestic) desecuritisation of regional relations, and stabilisation and consolidation of (regional) peace. I argue that these two seemingly distinct developments in fact constitute two aspects of a single parallel process. The paper focuses on regions that were once zones of negative peace, yet in which states underwent processes of desecuritisation, and succeeded in improving the quality of regional peace. This highlights the existence of different types—qualities—of peace as well as several stages of the process of positive peace construction. I claim that the sequence security?desecuritisation?asecurity constitutes the domestic transformation of intersubjective perceptions of threat, whose external complementation is often the sequence fragile/unstable peace?cold peace?positive peace (stable peace and pluralistic security community), which refers to a bilateral or regional relationship. However, I notice that this correlation, though likely, is not necessary. I identify two stages in this ‘desecuritisation/peace’ process. The first phase is about regional peace stabilisation and the first few steps towards domestic desecuritisation. The second phase involves peace consolidation, expansion of mutual desecuritisation, and growth of mutual trust. Explanations of the mechanisms triggering the process of desecuritisation/stabilisation of regional peace, and those of the expansion of the solidity of this peace are, I argue, of a different nature. The paper explains how the resort to realist International Relations (IR) theory hypotheses and to social constructivist hypotheses helps us to understand the development of these two phases. It also highlights the role of mutual trust in determining the type of peace of a dyad or region. The paper uses the case of Argentina and Brazil to illustrate these theoretical claims.security/external; international relations

Theorising homophobic hate crime in Northern Ireland

Homophobic violence in Northern Ireland is an area which has come underthe spotlight in the wake of the ongoing, successful, peace process. Tosome degree the peace process itself has been accused of facilitating andoverlooking homophobic violence. This paper invokes a culturally relativeperspective in order to assess whether there are different dynamics whichay be impacting on the effectiveness of challenges and responses toomophobiamh and violence in Northern Ireland

The Next Generation: Creating New Peace Processes in the Middle East

This essay describes how Israeli students in a course on mediation and consensus building taught in an Israeli university law department by and American law professor and an Israeli instructor analyzed and studied the conflict in the Middle East. It describes the suggestions they made for process design for the next stages of whatever peace process might emerge for the region. In light of the students\u27 suggestions, the authors present some ideas as to how different approaches to reconciliation and peace might be used, managed, and coordinated

The Secessionist Movement and the Peace Process in the Philippines and Indonesia: The Case of Mindanao and Aceh

In this paper, the possibilities for creating a peaceful society amidst an on-going conflict between the state and ethno-based secessionist movement are explored. The cases of the Philippines and Indonesia, specifically the Moros and Acehnese respectively, are discussed and analyzed against the backdrop of identity politics, modalities of peace building and conflict resolution, and nation-state building. Towards the end of the paper, lessons from the peace process engaged by both the state and secessionist movement are derived on the wish that they may serve as guideposts in future peace and conflict mitigation endeavors

Imperfect forgiveness The pragmaticality, prudentiality and ethicality of human forgiveness

XXII Jornades de Foment de la Investigació de la Facultat de Ciències Humanes i Socials (Any 2017)The purpose of this paper is to approach the act and process of forgiveness as an imperfect human ability for peace, exploring the pragmaticality, prudentiality and ethicality of human forgiveness before moral wrongs. To conduct my research, firstly I will assume the epistemological turn that has been developed at the UNESCO Chair of Philosophy for Peace from Universitat Jaume I. This epistemological turn means we no longer work with a negative definition of peace but a positive one, that is, we do not define peace as the absence of violence, but as the presence of social justice. Secondly, I will establish a dialogue between the Philosophy for Peace approach and Christian theology as a key element for grasping a deeper understanding of the act and process of forgiveness, since this imperfect human ability of forgiveness has been a core theme of the Christian religion during the last two thousand years. It is argued that imperfect human forgiveness is pragmatically, prudentially and ethically adequate when we need to address different moral wrongs in different contexts of violence. Therefore, fostering forgiveness in those settings may help us to build more peaceful societies, as in the same way that we have learnt to hurt each other, we can learn to forgive one anothe

Reshaping Political Space? The Impact of the Armed Insurgency in the Central African Republic on Political Parties and Representation

This paper analyzes the declining importance of political parties in the Central African Republic (CAR). It argues that the problematic attitude of elites who are fluctuating between violent and peaceful behavior in order to further their own careers is jeopardizing both peace and democracy. The author hypothesizes that both political parties and rebel movements are failing to adequately represent (ethnoregional) interests, but that parties are suffering more in the course of the enduring war and the peace process. Patterns of elite behavior are presented as the main explanation for the resulting crisis of representation, with international actors’ preference for inclusionary power-sharing deals seen as the main aggravating factor.Central African Republic, peace process, political parties, rebel movements,representation

Could Education Promote the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process?

This paper explores Palestinians' attitudes towards a peace process and their determinants, with a particular focus on the role of education. Understanding the factors that shape attitudes towards peace is important in order to be successful in negotiations or in implementing a peace agreement. In the literature, there is particular disagreement about the role of education. While some authors have linked violent and extreme positions to ignorance and to low market opportunities, others have found that education is positively correlated with being a member of a terrorist group. To better understand the role of education I decompose the attitudes towards peace into two dimensions; attitudes towards reconciliation and attitudes towards concessions. To measure these attitudes, I use a flexible item response model proposed by Spady (2007), which allows to take into account the multidimensionality of the concepts. The results show that education has a positive effect on attitudes towards concessions but a negative effect on attitudes towards reconciliation. This may occur because relative to a situation of peace, highly educated individuals are more strongly affected by current depressed economic conditions in Palestine. They therefore have more to gain from a peace agreement and may thus be more willing to make concessions. At the same time, they may be more frustrated and therefore less willing to reconcile. I also find that their attitudes to reconciliation move closely with aggregate economic conditions, while those of less educated individual are also influenced by local factors such as the construction of the separation barrier in their region of residence.conflict resolution, education, latent attitudes, item response models